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Sunday, June 30, 2013

Les Grandes Eaux et Jardins Musicales de Versailles

'Last night I dreamt I went back to Manderley'...no wait it was Versailles! The plan was to visit the marché Notre Dame in town and look up a few patisseries. The musical fountains were an afterthought. *Take the Direct train from Gare Montparnasse. No fancy trellis decor but just 13 minutes et voila. Get a free 'plan' or city map (not a carte as yours truly called it. Carte = menu ahem) at the welcome desk in the Versailles Chantiers train station. Then take the B bus across the street and more voila. FYI the above watercolor is mainly Burnt Sienna _ Fr Ultramarine blue (Winsor and Newton watercolor paint). See! You don't need 60 colors.

I did this tracing on top of my iPad.

From this photo.

A BIG MERCI for supporting Parisbreakfast dear PBers! Just a few more watercolors to ship out. Now back to those delightful fountains.

The weather cleared up so I headed to the Versailles gardens. You'll need to buy a ticket. Some cafes even sell them and have signs outside. No free entry when the water is bubbling (3:30 to 5pm, 8.50 euros). I love these hole-in-the-wall entryways leading you down a long dark passage. Then suddenly...

You're in a grand enclosure.

'Conceived exactly as open-air drawing rooms, the groves in the garden contain superb examples of 17th and 18th century decorative arts.'.

Other fountains are out in the open. The negative ions are all over the place so you'll feel positively delightful. (or is it positive ions?)

Long passage ways lined with cherubic fountains.

This little girl is keeping her fish wet - very sweet I guess...

You do begin to have delusions of grandeur after a bit...

These guests are completely ignoring the fountains!?

The grounds are so huge it doesn't seem too crowded. The music is of course Vivaldi.

You have many areas to yourself

Serenity now!

Lovely no?

You are NOT supposed to picnic in the gardens except in designated areas - this was not one of them. But a Corcheval from Maison Guinon must be ok no? Draped crepe over a vanilla concoction with rasberries intermingled.

Bonjour from Paris (for a change!) -- I will be heading out to Versailles on my own and plan to spend most of my time in the gardens, and Marie Antoinette's Hameau of course. This post put me in the mood! :-) Merci, Carole! -- Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

No app RebeccaIt's a trick I came up withI create an 'album'Drop one photo into itThen in Settings I make that album my Picture FrameAnd set it for 20 secondsI turn off the iPad & turn it on againBut hit the flower icon on the screenInstead of having a Slideshow I have ONE photo that doesn't move.Et voila. I can trace off it.My own lill' inventionI wish there was an app for tracing...Hmmm

Carol, what a fine day you chose for your return to Versailles! It all looks so elegant. I imagine there is a vast gardening staff that keeps it all trim and green. The fountains and statues are definitely better than most contemporary versions...or so I think.

I completely agree with you about the possibilities offered by those two paint colors. I also love them.

And let's see, what else...of course, the pastry looks rather scrumptious, but as you say, the box is definitely to be savored and saved. xo

I love Versailles.Last summer I went to the night time event there.It was absolutely beautiful.There was music,colored fountains, people dressed in period costumes strolling and mingling,and fireworks over the pond.I highly recommend this summer event.

These pictures of a return trip to gorgeous Versailles were just exactly the balm to soothe sagging spirits after a sweltering and stressful day!Happy memories galore and daydreaming of such a fabulous pastry box....WOW!!!Thanks, Carol!PS I love Daphne Du Maurier,too!My favorite is Frenchman's Creek!

I'm hoping you'll have another sale around the time I retire so that I can give myself one of your either macarons or paint boxes for my retirement present! I'm glad it was successful. They're so lovely!